Rubber overshoe



Oct 1941- .1.- DE NORONHA RUBBER OVERSHOE Filed Nov. '7, 1938 I N V EN TOR. Joaquin ae lVoron/m.

Patented'oct. 7, 1941 RUBBER OVEBSHOE Joaquin de Noronha, New York, N. Y., asslgnor to De Noronha Rubber Products Corporation, New Brunswick, N. 1., a corporation or New Jersey Application November "I, 1938, Serial No. 239,286

Claims.

This invention relates to rubber overshoes. It is particularly directed to rubber overshoes provided with an opening through which the heel of the shoe projects.

Heretofore, it has been necessary to manufacture rubber overshoes in a very extensive number of sizes and shapes in order to insure a good fit on the correspondingly extensive number of sizes and shapes of shoes. Particularly with womens shoes the problem of obtaining a water-tight fit at the shank has not been successfully solved, because a woman may wear a Cuban heeled shoe during the day and a high heeled shoe during the evening. With shoes having Cuban heels the shank is almost fiat and low, whereas, with high heeled shoes, the shank is high. For this reason an overshoe which will fit the low heeled shoe will not fit the high heeled shoe, so as to require at least two types of overshoes for a rainy day.

An object of this invention is to provide a overshoe which will fit equally well a low and a high heeled shoe, and in both cases provide a water-tight fit at the shank.

A further object of this invention is to provide an overshoe which will fit at least two sizes of conventional range of shoes, and which may be used with either low heeled shoes or high heeled shoes in both sizes.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a comfortable, light, strong and durable overshoe of the character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to put on and take off, and which shall yet be attractive in appearance, and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an overshoe embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the overshoe on a ladies shoe; 1

4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

the overshoe, illustrating a modified construe-.-

tion.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, l0 designates a rubber overshoe embodying the invention. The overshoe I0 illustrated in the drawing is the left overshoe of a pair. The overshoe III is best manufactured by the known process of pressing the raw material within a closed steel mold and cured by heat under high pressure. By this processing, the rubber acquires a permanent set elasticity so that when it is worn on a shoe much too large, the overshoe will resume its original shape as soon as it is removed from the shoe without deformation. When the overshoes are cured open in autoclaves and they are subject to constant stretching, deformation often occurs.

The overshoe It comprises an upper II, a tread-sole portion l3, and a rear or counter portion 12. The upper II and the sole portion l3 may be made of any desired shape, similar to those in overshoes now in use, with the exception that from the sole portion [3 thereof, its

The flat wall 15 is formed with an elongated I opening it for reception of the heel I '1 of a shoe I8 on which the overshoe III is to be worn. The

opening it is abnormally narrow and approximately triangular in shape, the apex I9 thereof, being pointed toward the shank portion ll of the overshoe. The rear edge 23 of the opening it may be semi-circular in shape. .As clearly shown in Fig. 5, the edges 20 of opening l6 converge forwardly toward each other to said apex I9 and the marginal edge portions of the bottom portion of the counter at the opposite sides of said opening increase progressively in width from the rear part of opening It to a point just forwardly of apex l0 where they are united for the full width of said bottom portion l5.

The counter portion l2 has an opening 25 at the top. The opening 25 is likewise abnormally small and of elongated, triangular shape, the base of the triangle being at the front, and the apex 26 of the triangle being at the rear, with the side edges 21 of said opening being inclined 'earwardly toward each other.

The cross-section of the opening I6 is preferably of less dimension than the horizontal crosssection of the heel of the shoe to be protected so as to cause the rubber at the rim edge of the opening to resist the stretch caused when the shoe is worn and thereby close down upon the heel. The cross-section of the opening 25 is likewise smaller than the corresponding transverse cross-sectional dimension of the upper portion of the shoe which passes through the opening, so that the rim edge of said opening will likewise, when the overshoe is worn, close down upon the leather owing to the stretching forced by the shoe. Consequently, at both openings a watertight closure is assured.

The side walls 30 and the rear wall 3| of the counter are substantially of semi-circular crosssection, that is, the upper parts of said portions 30 and 3| are inclined or curved inwardly and upwardly, and the bottom parts are curved or in clined downwardly and inwardly toward the flat wall l5. Furthermore, the radius of the curvature of said walls is abnormally small as compared with the radius of curvature of the counter of the shoe to be protected. Consequently, when the overshoe is worn on a shoe there will be greater pressure exerted in the neighborhood of the edges of the openings 25 and I6 than at the central portion of the counter. This further contributes towards making the water-tight closure at the heel and around theankle more efllcient.

The rim edges of the constricted openings l6 and 25 will be kept stretched out to press against the leather at all times, even when walking, with the consequent bending and straightening of the leather of the shoe. The rubber will always accompany the changes in shape of the leather and will cling to the leather while walking, thereby insuring a water-tight closure.

By reason of the fact that the shank portion ll of the overshoe extends higher than the shank of the shoe to b protected, said shank portion I 4, as well as the forward part of the flat wall I of the counter, will be pressed downwardly when the overshoe is worn on a shoe, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. In other words, the overshoe being constricted at the junction between the counter portion l2 and the front portion II, and this constricted portion being forcibly expanded by the shoe, the stretch of the rubber causes the overshoe to snugly hug the shoe at the shank providing also there a thorough water-tight fit.

As shown in the drawing, the portions of the overshoe adjacent to the flat wall l5 and to the shank portion H are inclined upwardly and outwardly. as at 34 and 35, and meet one another angularly. The bottom surfaces 34-l5 meet the forward portions 35-l4 of the overshoe at an obtuse re-entrant angle so as to form an angular portion at the bottom to provide an improved angular portion at the bottom shank portion of the shoe and thereby providing a structure to form a water-tight joint at the shank of any one of a plurality of shoes having heels of different heights,'respectively, for example with shoes having Cuban or lower heels or with shoes having high or French heels.

Taking advantage of the nature of rubber molded in closed steel molds which retain the shape imparted during the cure, the surfaces at.

the portion 35, shank I4, and counter portion 34 are made flat so that their Junctions form angles and thereby lend more stability or rigidity to the recessed construction. The overshoe thus retains substantially the shape as shown in the drawing without the rubber falling in, even though the walls are film thin. Since the overshoe is molded and therefore retains its shape, this angular construction at the shank offers greater resistance to the expanding action Just referred to, so that the efllciency, as to the snug fit, is thereby greatly increased. 1

It will be noted, furthermore, that the tension exerted by the overshoe when in position is restricted to the relatively rigid portions of the shoe. The overshoe exerts an upward tension on the sole of the shoe at the shank, which is rigid, so that the pressure is not transmitted to the foot. There is also a pull exerted on the counter portion of the shoe and as this portion also is relatively stiff, said pull is not transmitted to the foot, so that the 'overshoes are comfortable to wear.

In the drawing, the Junction between the flat bottom wall I 5 and the arch I4 is designated by letter B. The front end of the opening is designated by letter A, and the point at the top of the counter I2, directly above the junction B is designated by letter F. The portion A, B of the overshoe is the instep portion and is constricted at the bottom. The vertical distance between the points 23 and 26 at the rear of the counter, is greater than the vertical distance between the points B and 1 at the front of the counter.

It will be noted that the top and bottom edge portions of the counter l2 are in planes converging toward the front of the overshoe whereas the sides 30 of the counter portion converge toward the rear of the overshoe.

It will be further noted that the Junction between the portions 34, and II, II of the overshoe are angular, said surfaces being flat or ruled surfaces.

In Figure 8 there is shown an overshoe Illa, embodying the invention, similar to the overshoe III, with the exception that the vamp of the overshoe as shown in Figure 8 of the drawing is formed with transverse semi-tubular surfaces, for the purpose of supplying additional rubber for expansion when, the overshoe is worn, whereby to accommodate larger shoes, and to cover greater surfaces of leather of the shoe.

It will thus be seen that there is'provided a rubber overshoe in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might' be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth,v it is to be understood that all matter herein set forthor shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus describedmy invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1.- A molded rubber overshoe having a front portion including a tread sole and an elastic shank, and a counter portion, the counter portion comprising a bottom elastic wall integral with said shank portion and formed with a substantially triangular shaped opening the apex whereof is toward the front of the overshoe, said shank and said wall of the counter being adapted to form a water-tight Joint with theshank of the shoe on which said overshoe is to be'worn.

2. A molded rubber overshoe having a front portion including a tread sole and an elastic shank portion, and a counter portion, the counter portion comprising a bottom elastic wall integral with said shank portion and formed with a substantially triangular shaped opening, the apex whereof is toward the front of the overshoe, said counter portion having an opening at the top the side and rear walls of said counter portion being bellied outwardly between the top and bottom of the counter, said shank and said bottom wall being adapted to form a water-tight Joint with the shank of the shoe on which said overshoe is to be worn.

3. A molded rubber overshoe comprising a front part including upper and tread-sole portions to cover the front part of the shoe, a rearwardly tapering and upwardly directed elastic shank portion extending from said sole portion, side portions extending rearwardly and toward each other from opposite sides of said shank portion, and a counter part for covering the counter portion of the shoe having an elastic bottom portion and opposite side portions meeting said shank portion and said first mentioned side portions, respectively, in re-entrant angular relation therewith, said tapering shank portion and said bottom of the counter part providing a constricted bottom portion at the juncture of said shank portion and said bottom of the counter part.

4. A molded rubber overshoe comprising a front part including upper and tread-sole portions to cover the front part of the shoe, a rearwardly tapering and upwardly directed elastic shank portion extending from said sole portion, side portions extending rearwardly and toward each other from opposite sides of the overshoe, and a counter part for covering the counter portion of the shoe having an elastic bottom and opposite side portions meeting said shank portion and said first mentioned side portions, respectively, in re-entrant angular relation therewith, said tapering shank portion and said bottom of the counter part providing a constricted bottom portion at the juncture of said shank portion and said bottom of the counter part, the bottom of said counter portion of the over-.- shoe having an opening for the projection therethrough of the heel of the shoe.

5. A molded rubber overshoe comprising, in

integral relation, a front part including upper and sole tread portions to cover the front of the shoe a counter part for covering the quarter of the shoe, said counter part having a bottom portion provided with an elongated opening for the projection therethrough of the heel of the shoe. and an elastic shank part'on the bottom of the overshoe extending rearwardly and upwardly from said sole portion and united with said bottom portion of the counter part along a transverse line forwardly of said opening for forminga water-tight joint with the'shank of the shoe on which said overshoe is worn, said bottom portion of the counter part comprising marginal edge portions at opposite sides of said opening increasing progressively in width from the rear part of said opening toward said transverse line. the side edges of said opening converging forwardly toward each other. a

6. A molded rubber overshoe comprising a front part including upper and tread-sole portions to cover the front part of the shoe, 0. rearwardly tapering and upwardly directed elastic shank portion extending from said sole portion, side portions extending rearwardly and toward each other from opposite sides of said shank portion, and a counter part for covering the counter portion of the shoe having an elastic bottom and opposite side portions meeting said shank portion and said first mentioned side portions, respectively, in re-entrant angular relation therewith, said tapering shank portion and said bottom of the counter part providing a constricted bottom portion at the juncture of said shank portion and said bottom of the counter part, the bottom of said counter portion of the overshoe having an opening for the projection therethrough of the heel of the shoe, said bottom portion of the counter part comprising marginal edge portions at opposite sides of said opening increasing progressively in width from the rear part of said opening toward said shank portion, the side edges of said opening converging forwardly toward each other. 7. A molded rubber overshoe comprising a front part including upper and tread-sole portions to cover the front part of the shoe, a rearwardly tapering and upwardly directed shank portion extending from said sole portion, side portions extending rearwardly and toward each other from opposite sides of said shank portion, and a counter part for covering the counter portion of the shoe having an elastic bottom and op-- posite side portions meeting said shank portion and said first mentioned side portions, respec-' tively, in re-entrant angular relation therewith, said tapering shank portion and said bottom of the counter part providing a constricted bottom portion at the juncture of said shank portion and said bottom of the counter part, the bottom of said counter portion of the overshoe having an elongated approximately triangular opening for the projection therethrough of the heel of the shoe, said opening decreasing in width toward the front of said counter part.

8. A molded rubber overshoe comprising a front part including upper and tread-sole portions to cover the front part of the shoe, a rearwardly extending and upwardly directed elastic shank portion extending from said sole portion and a counter part for covering the counter portion of the shoe having an elastic bottom meeting said shank portion and forming a re-entrant angular portion to provide a water-tight joint with the shank of any one of a plurality of shoes having heels of diiferent heights.

9. A molded rubber overshoe comprising a front part including upper and sole portions to cover the front part of the shoe, a rearwardly extending and upwardly directed shank portion extending from said sole portion, side portions extending rearwardly and toward each other from oppositesides of said shank portion, and a counter part for covering the counter portion of the shoe having a fiat bottom and opposite side portions extending upwardly and outwardly from the opposite outer, sides of said bottom of the counter part, said last mentioned bottom and side portions meeting said shank portion and said first mentioned side portions, respectively, in re-entrant angular relation therewith.

10. A molded rubber overshoe having a front portion including a sole part having an elastic shank portion tapering rearwardly and rising upwardly for engaging the shank of the shoe to be protected, and a counter portion formed with an elastic bottom wall provided with an opening for the projection therethrough of the shoe heel,

tight Joint with said shank of the shoe.

JOAQUIN m. NORONHWA. 

